HMD Global Makes Debut in the Market with New Nokia 150

The new Nokia feature phones were unveiled in the market by the Finnish company HMD Global today. The basic models with no internet-access capability are named Nokia 150 and Nokia 150 Dual-SIM.

The launch has marked the comeback of the Nokia phones and is expected to get a positive response, given the promise of quality, innovation and experience given by the new makers. The phones launched by the start-up, headquartered in Finland, are priced at $26 which comes to INR 1760 roughly.

HMD Global Oy, entering the market as the new ‘home of Nokia phones’, aspires to provide a refreshing change to the portfolio of the brand, which was once a dominant player in the mobile phone market. It should be noted that Nokia was a leader among the mobile phone brands, which gave up its dominance during the ‘shift to Smartphones’ phenomenon and sold its rights to Microsoft in 2014. It retained the rights of telecom network equipment though. Again, in May 2006, HMD bought a part of Microsoft feature phone business as Microsoft found it difficult to compete against the Smartphones of brands like Samsung and Apple. HMD has also signed a licensing agreement with Nokia for using the brand to launch handsets and tablets for the next ten years.

Talking about the specifications of the Nokia 150 handsets, both of them have a 2.4-inch display and with easy to use keypads. The user interface will give a familiar feeling to the users and a 32 GB microSD card support would give ample storage option to them. Moreover, the body of the phones sport a scratch-resistant colour and are built with polycarbonate shells for lending toughness.

Both the devices come with LED Flash supported VGA camera and Bluetooth feature. Added to that, there is a LED torchlight function in the phone to aid in the darkness. The classic Snake Xenzia and trial version of Gameloft’s Nitro Racing has also been capacitated in the models.

The most attractive feature of Nokia 150 handsets is their extraordinary battery life. As per HMD, the standby time is up to 32 days in Nokia 150 and up to 25 days in Nokia 150 Dual-SIM and talk time mode lasts for about 22 hours. With such an outstanding battery life, the consumers would get rid of the hassle of charging phones very frequently.

The company already has its hold in the market of basic phones and it has significant presence in Europe, America, Asia, Middle-East and Africa. The new phones by HMD will accordingly be sold IMEA, APAC and European countries initially, at least till the first quarter of 2017.

In a press release, earlier this month, Florian Seiche, the President of HMD Global had stated "We believe that the time is right for renewal in the mobile industry”. He added, “The market is fatigued and flooded with undifferentiated products. Consumers are looking for technology with clear purpose that is useful, exciting and with a brand they can trust, so our approach will focus on true, core user experiences and a dedication to quality."

The CEO of HMD Global Arto Numella said, "Today marks a happy and important day for HMD. Nokia has been one of the most iconic and recognisable phone brands globally for decades. The excitement of re-introducing this much-loved, well-known and trusted brand to smartphone consumers is a responsibility and an ambition that everyone at HMD shares." The CEO further inserted, "Driven by the extremely positive reception we have received since HMD was announced earlier this year, we are excited about building the next chapter for Nokia phones. We see this as a brilliant opportunity to solve real life consumer problems and to deliver on the quality and designs that the Nokia brand has been always known for. Our talented and passionate team is uniquely placed in this modern setup to deliver our promise of reliable, beautifully crafted and fun Nokia phones for consumers across the globe."